Nami Carolina Wellness Estate was built in response to the harsh lockdowns of the pandemic back in 2020. It stands proudly in Alfonso, Cavite with an architecture that is sure to pique one’s curiosity.

“This was created during the pandemic because my mom was stuck in her condominium and going crazy. She wanted to build on this property that we had since the 90s. So that when the pandemic lasted she would have a nice place she could live in. Our brief was to build something small with zero maintenance but could fit the entire family. We built this literally at the worst part of the pandemic when people in Manila were in hospitals. We had a crew that was onsite and actually never went home for about a year because of the protocols in place at the time,” Lex Ledesma, co-owner and son of Carolina of whom Nami Carolina is named after, recounts.

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Built on a relatively small 190 square meter footprint on a lot area that sprawls 3.5 hectares, Nami Carolina leaves much room for expansion in the future. Lex and his wife Chippy Ledesma flip houses professionally and share the love for design. They took inspiration from their honeymoon in South Africa where the country houses featured Cape Dutch architecture.

Just like the houses they saw in South Africa, Nami Carolina had gables that embellished not only the sides of the structure but the middle of the rectangular plan of the house above the front door. Cape Dutch architecture is known for its symmetry as seen in Nami Carolina - with the front door flanked by windows.

“We wanted a design that when you drove by it, it would be so unusual that you would actually stop and try to figure out what it was. We didn’t want it to be strange and weird just to be strange and weird. It had to stand out and be purposeful. The thing is if you look at the structures in South Africa, they are very rustic, usable and functional,” Lex says.

Lex and Chippy Ledesma host Metro.Style in Nami Carolina, named after Lex's mother, Carolina. Here, they stand on the steps of the rear stairway of the home's back elevation. Jar Concengco

As you drive in, a blue sculpture by artist Ovvian Castrillo-Hill greets you. It will be the only hue of its kind that you will encounter on the site probably with the exception of the sky. The white washed walls of Nami Carolina are accentuated with black with verdant foliage growing along the front. As you pass through its walkway towards the door, you will find out that the house is elevated.

“Even when we were building this house, we were intentional not to do cut and fill which is earth moving. Earth moving is basically when you have a natural contour and you would flatten that to build a ground floor that is flat. So you would cut into the earth. But that also changes the natural contour,” Lex explains. “So what we did was elevated the ground floor so that what we built was basically on stilts so we would not bother the natural grade line. So these were things that we were intentional about.”

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The lot naturally slopes down into a meadow which allows the house to frame this bucolic scenery once you enter the black front door. You may see an occasional cow grazing on the grass or a group of chickens pecking their way. What will capture your attention before that however is the intimate and cozy atmosphere that designer Chippy has created for its interiors. With the color black binding everything together and allowing the colors of the tablescape to shine, the interiors are as rustic as its facade suggests.

“Basically we had to use existing furniture that we had in storage. Lex was running a family resort in Boracay called Nami which got burnt back in 2018. Some furniture and dinnerware were spared. So my mother in law said to use these pieces for Nami Carolina. I started moving things around and refinished some of the furniture because we wanted it to look rustic. The black was me. Black is really my color. It’s really a great canvas for everything,” Chippy shares. The reuse of furniture worked to Nami Carolina’s advantage and gave the space a lived-in look.

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Inside Nami Carolina Wellness EstateJar Concengco

Although built originally to be a family getaway, Nami Carolina has opened up for other people to enjoy. Guests may stay overnight and enjoy a 6 course degustation developed by chef Jigs Rondolo and curated towards health and wellness. Nami Carolina can accommodate up to 8 people with 4 beds (with one being a trundle bed by E.Murio) spread out the loft type house. Guests can saunter towards the air-conditioned safari tents in the back and get a deep tissue or a hot stone massage. A fire pit placed in the center of the property makes for a great place to tell stories or roast marshmallows.

At Nami Carolina, these tents are where one can get spa treatments such as a deep tissue massage. Jar Concengco

Nami Carolina doesn’t position itself as a high end, five star hotel. It has amenities and staff that a simple private rental on Airbnb doesn’t have and it definitely holds much more heart than a nondescript hotel room. It’s really a home that has opened its doors to welcome you in hoping that you can also create wonderful memories here as their family has.

Book a stay, a daytrip with a meal or a massage at Nami Carolina by visiting their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NamiCarolinaWellnessEstate/.

Photographs by Jar Concengco